Argh
The following statement infuriated me when I read it this morning...
White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said, ``It shows the true nature of the enemies of freedom. They have no regard for the lives of innocent men, women, and children.''
I agree, it’s absolutely horrible that the Iraqis beheaded this American civilian. However, what about all the American soldiers who killed Iraqi civilians? What about the American soldiers who abused Iraqi prisoners? I cannot stand the arrogance, the polarization that certain leaders are showing. WE’RE ALL THE SAME! If we were Iraqis, we would hate the US too. It’s not that “they” are bad people and “we” are good people. It’s that we’re all freaking human beings and we have faults and we can do horrible cruel things to each other. Does it matter who is “us” and who is “them”? Aren’t we all equally guilty? I’m sick of the “evil” terrorists! Yeah, they do horrible things, but so do "we"! They are not the only “enemies”. But there has to be a common enemy if we are to be “united.”
What’s more, how Christian and “good” is this delightful statement by our most amazing president: “We will not do anything that harms our economy, because first things first are the people who live in America.” What a cruel statement! He said this in explanation of why he abandoned a global warming treaty already negotiated by over 100 other nations. So, yeah, this isn’t an eye for an eye exactly, but all this talk about the terrorist “enemies” just seems slightly hypocritical to me as our extraordinary president supports destroying the environment for the sake of American economy. We consume and consume and consume. This year we’re adding some 225 species to the endangered list. It's just... so frustrating.
Horrible, horrible things happen that can't be justified by any high ideal of glory... I can't imagine how anyone will find glory in the end. Situations like this are just a series of losses for everyone involved. No one wins. And maybe that is justice in itself, or maybe there is no justice, or maybe the most we can do is just make an individual effort to do what is right, to love the people around us, to not give up...
Aside from that, there is the personal level of life and that is going just fine. (Why is it that so many of us can be so well off while all these other people live in hell? Another thing I don't quite understand and probably never will.)
The semester is almost over so the Ali thing to do is look back and reflect... I'm not much in the mood for that though because so much would take more describing than I'm up for at the moment...
I also should really reflect on the year as a whole. Am I happier than last year? No. Am I more satisfied and content? Yes, it seems so. I've learned that there is a difference. Happiness is a moment to moment thing. Emotions cycle. We are never immune to anger or sadness. However, beyond that there is a basic level of contentment that was not there last year. High school was fun and I have many great memories. Nothing can replace those. But college has allowed me to grow into myself in ways I couldn't in high school. Here I've been able to explore what matters to me. I've learned what I've always known: I have two great passions, one for words and the other for the religious/spiritual side of humanity, the psychology of that side, the ways we express it… Parallel to that, I've grown spiritually, intellectually, personally, socially... And perhaps I’ve stopped being afraid of my “nerdiness.” Haha…
And I have a wonderful, wonderful family.
There is so much to be grateful for... Thinking of them has calmer by earlier aggitation. I don't know how to make sense of the world, but that's ok, I suppose I'm not meant to. I can at least learn what I can to do what I can to appreciate what I can and give what I can...
White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said, ``It shows the true nature of the enemies of freedom. They have no regard for the lives of innocent men, women, and children.''
I agree, it’s absolutely horrible that the Iraqis beheaded this American civilian. However, what about all the American soldiers who killed Iraqi civilians? What about the American soldiers who abused Iraqi prisoners? I cannot stand the arrogance, the polarization that certain leaders are showing. WE’RE ALL THE SAME! If we were Iraqis, we would hate the US too. It’s not that “they” are bad people and “we” are good people. It’s that we’re all freaking human beings and we have faults and we can do horrible cruel things to each other. Does it matter who is “us” and who is “them”? Aren’t we all equally guilty? I’m sick of the “evil” terrorists! Yeah, they do horrible things, but so do "we"! They are not the only “enemies”. But there has to be a common enemy if we are to be “united.”
What’s more, how Christian and “good” is this delightful statement by our most amazing president: “We will not do anything that harms our economy, because first things first are the people who live in America.” What a cruel statement! He said this in explanation of why he abandoned a global warming treaty already negotiated by over 100 other nations. So, yeah, this isn’t an eye for an eye exactly, but all this talk about the terrorist “enemies” just seems slightly hypocritical to me as our extraordinary president supports destroying the environment for the sake of American economy. We consume and consume and consume. This year we’re adding some 225 species to the endangered list. It's just... so frustrating.
Horrible, horrible things happen that can't be justified by any high ideal of glory... I can't imagine how anyone will find glory in the end. Situations like this are just a series of losses for everyone involved. No one wins. And maybe that is justice in itself, or maybe there is no justice, or maybe the most we can do is just make an individual effort to do what is right, to love the people around us, to not give up...
Aside from that, there is the personal level of life and that is going just fine. (Why is it that so many of us can be so well off while all these other people live in hell? Another thing I don't quite understand and probably never will.)
The semester is almost over so the Ali thing to do is look back and reflect... I'm not much in the mood for that though because so much would take more describing than I'm up for at the moment...
I also should really reflect on the year as a whole. Am I happier than last year? No. Am I more satisfied and content? Yes, it seems so. I've learned that there is a difference. Happiness is a moment to moment thing. Emotions cycle. We are never immune to anger or sadness. However, beyond that there is a basic level of contentment that was not there last year. High school was fun and I have many great memories. Nothing can replace those. But college has allowed me to grow into myself in ways I couldn't in high school. Here I've been able to explore what matters to me. I've learned what I've always known: I have two great passions, one for words and the other for the religious/spiritual side of humanity, the psychology of that side, the ways we express it… Parallel to that, I've grown spiritually, intellectually, personally, socially... And perhaps I’ve stopped being afraid of my “nerdiness.” Haha…
And I have a wonderful, wonderful family.
There is so much to be grateful for... Thinking of them has calmer by earlier aggitation. I don't know how to make sense of the world, but that's ok, I suppose I'm not meant to. I can at least learn what I can to do what I can to appreciate what I can and give what I can...